and Alanna and hope for the best.”
“I think you’re amazing, no matter what,” she said. “I mean, you literally know how the brain works. I don’t think I could ever understand it.”
“Sure you could.” Max pushed aside the pizza box. “Give me your hand.”
She put her hand into his, and he turned it palm up. Carly laughed. “Are you going to read my palm now? Please tell me if I’m going to get a job soon.”
“The fascinating thing about the brain is how it takes in and processes information. The strongest pathways are your senses. Like, the smell of apple pie may remind you of your grandmother’s house.”
“The smell of anything being deep fried reminds me of Grandma,” she said.
He traced a line across her palm. “What do you feel?”
“A really smart guy tracing a line across my palm, and my brain is wondering if it’s a joke.”
He changed direction and moved his finger up her palm and to the inside of her wrist. Her lips parted a little.
He moved a little farther up, to the inside of her elbow. “Still feeling a guy tracing a line across your palm?”
“No.” She looked into his eyes. “I feel an ocean. And there are waves and peaks and valleys, and I feel a little unsteady.”
“How interesting. Because my gonadal hormones are taking a dip in that same ocean.” He lifted her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist. “When you experience something, as opposed to reading or hearing, you tend to remember it longer.”
“So neuroscience is about experience?”
“In a way.”
“I’m going to remember this night for the rest of my life.”
“Me, too. It’s indelibly imprinted right here,” he said, tapping a finger to his temple. He leaned over and kissed her again. And then he got up, shooed the dogs out, and leapt onto the bed. “And now I’m going to give you something spectacular to remember.”
Carly squealed with delight. “I can’t wait!”
Max was happy. And in his bed, with this woman, he really could believe there was nothing that could derail them. This felt meant to be.
* * *
Carly woke up the next morning in Max’s bed feeling like something big and wonderful had happened to her, and it wasn’t a dream. It was real. They had started something really great last night, she could feel it in her bones.
She dressed quickly so she could dash home and change for work. Max had propped himself up on one arm to watch her. “How are you this morning?” he asked.
She pulled on a sneaker. “I’m pretty damn good, Max Sheffington. I rarely make it this far in most relationships I attempt. How are you this morning?”
His gaze languidly moved over her. “Fucking fantastic.”
“No morning-after regrets? No facing any feelings you’ve avoided?”
“Not at all. I am very much looking forward to all the feelings.”
Carly grinned. She stood up and brushed her fingers through his hair, then trailed them down his cheek to his chin. “So . . . we’re doing this? We’re going to be a thing?”
Max got off the bed. He pulled her into his arms. “We are so going to be a thing.” He kissed her, then put his arm around her shoulders and opened the door to the bedroom.
Baxter and Hazel were waiting for them like two little sentries. They both instantly turned and trotted down the hall as if they knew where they were all off to.
Max walked with Carly to the front door. As he opened the door, her phone rang. “When will I see you?” he asked as she dug around in her bag for the phone. When she didn’t find it, she turned from the door to prop her bag on a brick planter so she could better search for her phone. “Tomorrow?” She found her phone and looked at him. “Maybe we could try out Barkin’ Springs?”
“Perfect.”
Carly looked at her phone. It was a message from her mother. You may meet your future stepfather tomorrow. Jesus. She’d managed to forget that looming disaster in the last twenty-four hours.
“Dinner after?” Max asked. “I know a couple of places that take dogs.”
“Wait,” Carly said. “Something just came up. I can’t do tomorrow.” She would deal with this when she got home. “How about Friday?”
“Friday,” Max agreed. “Barkin’ Springs and then dinner?”
“Yes! And then . . . my house?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
“I’m excited.” Carly rose up on her toes and kissed him. He kissed her back, anchoring her to him with one arm. And when he